Dear Government,
When I watch the news nowadays, I am almost automatically angry or irritated about something. I used to avoid watching the news because I really didn’t want to know how badly the law makers were hurting this country. Or the president for that matter. Now, I am old enough to watch the news. I have teachers who talk about current events every day (my AP US and Gov teachers), so I am paying attention.
I never realized how important the right to vote was until I started watching the news every day leading up to and after this most recent election. Because, the people who don’t vote can’t bitch because they didn’t put their two cents in when it was important. I can bitch because right now I am unable to vote, even though I voted in the mock election at my high school. It didn’t matter in the national election, and the person who won our school, ultimately, was not the person I voted for. But, the news has shown me that the right to vote gives you a voice, even if the majority of the country is stupid.
I am sixteen years old, and while I cannot vote, I can still express my opinion. And to tell you the truth, I am kind of sad that our country is going downhill because low information voters finally decided to get up off their asses and vote. In my city, we had record turnout for minorities: 94%. It has never been that high in the history of this state.
Hm.
I wonder why.
Watching the news, I am impressed at how much like sheep the American public is. We go in whatever direction we are prodded to go and we question nothing. Nothing at all. There is an art to watching the news now. You have to look through the bias. You have to look at what is not being reported, because if you don’t, you believe every line of bullshit they are feeding you. And when people actually talk about what is going on, like your opinion leaders, both liberal and conservative, they are attacked by opposing parties. Rush Limbaugh? Leader of the Republican party now, because they are too afraid to do anything.
Am I biased? Of course. Every person is biased whether or not they want to believe it. I just never realized it until I started watching my country fall apart slowly. I talk about it every day with my friends. People don’t understand that teenagers are watching what’s going on, as well. And they don’t understand that we don’t all swing towards the liberal party just because we’re open minded at such a young age. Me and my friends understand what’s going on. We don’t like, but sadly, we can’t do anything. We don’t pose a threat. We aren’t important enough.
An Irritated Citizen
In an ideal world, all ballots would have an additional box daying “none of the above”. When the election is a two horse race where the nags are almost identical in how they actually run, many are turned off voting. You hit the nail on the head when you say “the right to vote” and that right should extend to a legitimate voice for those who want “none of the above” …
I agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They voted for the first time out of nowhere. Hmmmm I wonder why. It can’t be because they believe what he does. Becuase they don’t even know what he is for.
No, they don’t know what he is for. We both know why they voted for him… But you can’t say that out loud, or you get in trouble.
I especially don’t believe in what he does, to the extreme. But, you know. I can vote starting next year, and I will be voting in every possible election.